


Moment by Moment

by CookieDoughMe



Series: Tell Me [3]
Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Multi, Post-Troubles, established Audrey and Nathan relationship, recent Audrey and Duke, shifting slowly towards Nathan Audrey and Duke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 03:29:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10069151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieDoughMe/pseuds/CookieDoughMe
Summary: A series of moments in the development of a relationship between Nathan and Audrey, into one between Nathan and Audrey and Duke.Follows on fromConfidence is a Preference, but probably makes enought sense without it.





	

Nathan was the one who’d started this, but still; he was not exactly sure where he wanted it to go. Realising he was no longer jealous of Duke had been one thing, watching him and Audrey together was fun, but … was he ready to join Duke in bed? Did he want to?

His feelings about Duke had changed. Or rather, were in the process of changing. And that was wonderful and he wanted it to happen, but … in the meantime, he wasn't sure where that left him. Or them. He'd told Audrey and Duke it might take him a while figure this out, and to their credit they seemed willing to wait for him.

And he was so grateful for that, not least because even so, while they circled around the subject in some kind of holding pattern, the relationship between the three of them was shifting into something new. They spent a lot of their evenings (and nights) together, at Audrey’s apartment, or at Nathan’s place, or on the Rouge. Sometimes Duke cooked for them and sometimes they got food in, or ate in the Gull. Sometimes they would simply drink and talk, other times; they barely said said a word.

And moment by moment, as they spent their time together, their relationship moved slowly towards something undiscovered, a little step closer each time to something that they didn't yet quite have a name for.

**Movie Night**

They spent more than one evening snuggled up on Audrey’s sofa to watch movies, laughing and crying with the characters on screen, leaving their own lives and their own histories behind them for a while, even as they pressed into each other’s warmth, hands resting on arms and necks, legs wrapped around legs to keep the other two close.

**Sun and Sea**

One unexpectedly sunny afternoon they took the Rouge up the coast and out to sea a little way; skinny dipping and sunbathing and rubbing unnecessary amounts of suncream into each other’s skin, before sharing a meal up on deck as the light faded and the air cooled and the stars came out one by one.

**Strip Poker**

After a couple of beers one evening, Duke talked them into a game of strip poker, then started to regret it as he found that winning put him in the unfamiliar position of being the last one in the room still dressed.

**A Trouble Shared**

One weekend they spent a whole afternoon talking about the Troubles. Re-living some of the disasters, some of the victories, some of the disagreements: getting it out of their systems.

Grieving.

**Morsels**

One Sunday, Duke spent the morning in the market shopping, the afternoon in the Rouge cooking, and presented them that evening with a dazzling array of foods, in bite sized morsels that he insisted on feeding them blindfolded.

**Interlude**

And then there was the time that Nathan walked into the Gull, looking for some food on his lunchbreak from work. As he waved hello to Duke, he turned to say that Audrey was on her way in and winced as he stopped short in his movement to rub at his shoulder.

“Are you alright? asked Duke, noticing.

“Yeah. Turns out not being able to feel anything for years isn't all that good for you,” replied Nathan, gingerly moving his shoulder and stretching his neck.

“Your muscles are stiff,” said Duke, realising. Of course, he thought; all that stress for all that time, held trapped in muscles he couldn't feel, all those injuries he couldn't feel healing (or not). It was possibly a surprise the man could still function at all.

“You know,” he began, “I have it on good authority that I give a pretty decent back massage. It doesn't have to be anything, … it doesn't have to be anything other than a back massage. No audience, just - it might help.”

Nathan looked at him, “That sounds nice.”

Duke smiled back, “What time are you finishing work today?”

“Should be home by six.”

“Perfect, I'll come by then. I don't need to be back here until seven or so.”

-

Duke felt an odd kind of nervousness as he knocked on Nathan’s door just after 6pm, but he tried to hide it as Nathan let him in.

“You probably want to change into something more slouchy,” Duke observed.

“I was actually just about to do that,” said Nathan heading off to the bedroom as he added, “You might not want to be too good at this you know; you’ll be setting yourself up with a job for life.”

Duke resisted saying what he was thinking - that he really would not consider that to be a problem - and just replied with, “Well, let’s see.”

With Nathan changed and lying on the edge of the bed, Duke warmed a little massage oil in his hands and pressed his palms to Nathan’s shoulders.

“You tell me if anything doesn’t feel right, OK? I’m not a professional.”

“It’s OK; I trust you.”

Nathan said it easily, simply - like it was nothing, or like it was obvious. For Duke’s part he was surprised how much it meant to hear it. Not that he was completely surprised at this point by the sentiment, but it was still nice to have it said. And there was something refreshing in how easily Nathan admitted it.

Duke pressed his fingers and palms against Nathan’s tense muscles, trying to smooth out the knots, trying to encourage Nathan to relax; to help him remember what that felt like. He concentrated on Nathan’s shoulders and the muscles that ran up into his neck, since that seemed to be where he’d had the issue earlier. Duke wondered if he should suggest some yoga or some meditation some time, but he would stick to the massage for now.

He pushed and pressed and squeezed his fingers against Nathan’s skin, and he thought he felt a difference in how he held his shoulders, he thought he felt some of the tension leak out of him.

He looked at the clock; he should be getting going. “I think that’s probably all I can do for you right now,” said Duke. “You look more relaxed, anyway.”

“Yup. Thanks.”

“You should stay there, relax into it, feel your breath. Try to let your muscles go and remember what that feels like - the difference it makes. It’s easy to tense up again without noticing.”

“Uh hum.”

“OK, I gotta get back to the Gull. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Duke grabbed the bottle of oil and his coat and he was halfway to the door when Nathan spoke again.

“Job. For. Life.”

Duke laughed in surprise and this time put his thoughts into words, “Really not a problem Nate.”

**Life**

The next day they spent the afternoon discussing anything but the Troubles. Life in Haven before Audrey arrived. Nathan’s time in college, Duke’s travels around the world in the Rouge, Audrey’s travels across the country with the FBI.

And Haven now after the Troubles; their hopes for their town and how they could help it rebuild. Ways to honour and remember those who had fought alongside them and given their lives for this new world they lived in.

Things they might do in five or ten years from now; trips they might take, places they would like to see. And things they might do next week; movies Audrey wanted to see, new restaurants Duke wanted to try, local sights that Nathan wanted them to show Audrey.

**Tease**

One night in the Rouge, Duke sat behind Nathan on the bed, hands around his arms to hold him in place. Nathan leant back against Duke’s chest, feeling Duke’s fingers tight against his arms, the warmth of Duke’s skin and the beat of Duke’s heart against his shoulder blades, and the heat of Duke’s erection pressed into the small of his back. And he marvelled to himself that a year or two ago he would never have even realised how that could be a good thing.

And once she was satisfied that they were both settled and comfy, Audrey joined them on the bed, putting herself just out of his reach as she took off her shirt, her bra, moving forward to kiss him, but never quite doing it, kissing Duke instead to tease him all the more.

And he let himself be held in place, even as he strained towards her with every little movement she made. They kept him waiting a good long while, but they were right; he found something delicious in the wait and in the tease. But there was something wonderful in being held so carefully between them too; between their bodies and between their hearts, as though that were where he had always belonged.

**Fantasies**

One evening, without really meaning to, they found themselves talking about fantasies and memories, dreams and experiences. About Audrey's memories of Lexie’s brief experience with a woman she'd barely known and Duke's memories of a long and eventful night with two women he hadn't known at all.

After Duke finished his story, he turned to Nathan, “Well Nate? Any stories for us? Memories? Fantasies?”

But Nathan just shrugged, gesturing between the two of them, “You know my fantasy well,” he said.

“OK, but you’re not saying you’ve only had one fantasy your whole entire life? It doesn’t need to be something realistic. It doesn’t need to involve us.”

Nathan frowned, thinking. “For a long time, my fantasies were nothing more exotic than being able to feel a stranger’s handshake, or the breeze on my face. When I was younger, I don’t know. Nothing very imaginative, I guess. That a beautiful woman would - or actually when I was younger, that an older, more confident, more experienced woman would - take a shine to me and take me … well, you get the idea. Jess came pretty close to that one for a moment there.”

Audrey grimaced and started to apologise for when she’d had to call Nathan away from his date with her. Nathan waved the apology away, “You really didn't have much choice,” he assured her, “and it certainly doesn’t matter now.”

“Wait, what?” asked Duke.

“She was … I … My Trouble was active, obviously. I hadn’t dated anyone while I was like that and I didn’t know how … I was nervous. And when I told Jess she, kind of took control. And that was pretty hot actually. Until,” he joked, “Audrey interrupted us for some petty little life-or-death situation. I mean, I suppose it was worth it,” he teased, “to help Vince and Dave.”

And she huffed at him and pushed against his arm in exasperation.

“But Audrey it’s your turn; you’ve only told us about Lexie.”

“Oh. Fantasies? Well, I guess some of mine are more realistic than others. It would be nice to be outside; to feel the breeze on my skin, see the stars above us.”

“We can take the boat out again,” offered Duke quickly. “When the weather gets a bit warmer maybe. We could go right out to sea, no one around for miles.”

“Yes please,” she replied. “And in the meantime then, well - anything involving the two of you, obviously. I mean, not necessarily you two together, but the thought of two pairs of hands on my skin is pretty appealing. Two pairs of lips …”

And as she trailed off, they grinned in delight at her inability to finish her own sentence.

“My fingers down your spine as Duke kisses your neck?” Nathan offered.

She closed her eyes briefly before she responded and Nathan thought he could even see her curl her toes as she replied, “Yes, please.”

“Kissing me as Nathan runs his hands around to your breasts?”

And Duke watched her breathe in as she closed her eyes again. He shared a look with Nathan before adding, “Well, we don’t have to just talk about it. Come here,” and he stood up.

She looked at Nathan as she opened her eyes. He stood too and a moment later she was pressed between them, kissing Duke as Nathan’s lips found the soft skin at the back of her neck and his fingers pulled her cardigan from her shoulders. And then Duke unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it over her arms, prompting Nathan to pause in his kissing to indeed run his fingers down her spine as Duke kissed the side of her neck.

Carefully, gently, they removed the rest of her clothing, hands and mouths on her the whole time, fingertips and lips gently kissing and caressing her skin. They worked well together, always one set of hands on her as the other reached for a button or a zip. She breathed in the scent of them, the warmth of them, the sounds of them. After a little while, she shifted around between them to kiss Nathan with Duke stood behind her, planting one delicate little kiss after another down her back.

Their touches were so gentle they almost tickled and her breath caught often enough she was distantly aware she might fall if her boys weren’t there to catch her. But they held her steady, with hands on her shoulders and at her waist. Duke pulled her to him as his hands moved along her sides, across her stomach and down between her legs. Nathan kissed her neck, her collarbone, her breasts, as he kept his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady as she closed her eyes and forgot the world.

And even as she loved the feel of two pairs of hands on her skin, she loved too the fact that they were so close to each other. And she knew that if Nathan ever found himself interested in getting his hands on Duke, that she would be happy to watch the two of them for hours.

**Role Reversal**

One night, Duke tried out Nathan’s role as voyeur. He watched as Nathan and Audrey’s kisses grew more heated and as they stripped the clothes from each other’s skin. He watched as their hands roamed across each other’s bodies and their lips sought out their favourite spots. He watched as Audrey pushed Nathan down onto his back and wrapped her legs around his hips. He watched the look of adoration and ecstasy on Nathan’s face as he listened to the sounds of pleasure coming from Audrey.

And he could see the appeal; it was a nice view. But it didn’t match the feel of Audrey’s hands on his skin; or even of Nathan’s eyes on his back. He didn’t savour the tease the way Nathan did. Anticipation was one thing, but the sensual experience just didn’t compare.

**Unfamiliar Sensations**

After a while, they had settled into their new relationship a little. They didn’t comment on it, because things were still changing, but they had found a rhythm; they were comfortable spending time together and they none of them wanted to be apart for long.

At so at the end of what turned out to be a very long couple of days at work for Audrey and Nathan, involving lots of traipsing around through the woods in the rain and standing about in the cold, they were particularly glad to get back to Audrey’s and Duke had sweetened the deal by promising them both a foot massage once they'd cleaned up. By the time he made it upstairs from the Gull, he found them showered and changed into pajamas, Audrey sat by the fire running a towel through her hair, Nathan stretched out on the sofa, eyes closed and feet dangling off the end.

Duke grabbed at his PJ's to lift Nathan's legs up and sat down underneath them, positioning Nathan's feet in his lap as he got comfy.

“How ticklish are your feet?” Duke asked.

“Not exactly sure,” replied Nathan cautiously. “Not really had a foot massage before.”

“Well, then this is definitely overdue. And I will try not to tickle you,” Duke said. “Much,” he added.

Nathan cracked open one eye to glare half-heartedly at him, but as Duke pressed his fingers against the sole of Nathan’s foot, his eyes closed again and Duke felt him relax the weight of his leg onto Duke’s lap.

He pushed his fingers into Nathan’s feet, moving slowly and keeping a firm pressure so as not to tickle. He heard a little sigh from the other end of the sofa and figured he was doing something right. So he pressed a little harder, moved a little quicker, trying massage the aches away, but also looking for that spot just the right side of ticklish.

 _Ah,_ he thought, _there_ , as he ran a finger along the arch of Nathan’s foot and a soft little sigh became a louder moan of pleasure. And as he drew another moan from Nathan, Audrey looked over to them and Duke gave her a pointed look of, _Come and get involved_. She tied her still-wet hair back from her face and came to join them, kneeling by Nathan’s head at the other end of the sofa.

“He’s good at that, huh?” she noted, resting a hand in Nathan’s hair. He murmured a lazy agreement as he leant his head into her touch. Her fingers brushed her ear and he tilted his head again, seeking out her fingers to complement the sensation of Duke’s. She took the hint and ran both her hands through his hair, one hand finding his ear as the other continued to run over his scalp.

Nathan lay between them and felt Audrey’s fingers relaxing his head and his neck, and the light touch of her other hand tickle and tease at his ear. And at the other end of the sofa, Duke was doing something similar to his foot - firm pressure which massaged away the aches and helped to relax him all over, interspersed with light, almost tickling touches that made his breath catch and his toes curl, even as he tried hard to keep them still.

Duke and Audrey smiled as they watched him and caught each other’s eye as they noted an erection that his pajamas did nothing to hide. Duke started to think less about massaging away the aches of the day and more about finding that almost-ticklish spot that drew the loudest moans; like if he touched the arch of his foot, just there, or ran a finger softly along the underside of his toes.

Nathan moaned in response to some touches and gasped at others and Duke tried to keep track of which was which, but sometimes it wasn’t Duke’s touch he was reacting to at all. Audrey’s fingers against his scalp drew moans as well, at the relaxing sensation of fingers running through his hair, down to his neck and around to his temples. And her other hand made him gasp, as her fingers ran lightly over his ear lobe; tender caresses, soft and not-quite-ticklish against his skin.

At a cute little strangled sound from Nathan, Duke stopped, “Too much?” he asked.

“Not enough,” came the reply. “Don’t stop … please … but ...”

“You want us to make you come?” Audrey asked.

“Yes.”

“Think we can do it just like this?” Duke wondered.

“No, but …”

“Well, either of us can help you out if you like,” observed Duke. “But if you don't want us to stop what we're doing, there is still a free pair of hands in the room, if you want to make use of them. Give us something to watch.” he said it easily, lightly; just a suggestion.

Nathan didn't reply and it looked like he was going to ignore the idea until his hand moved down his stomach towards his pajamas, slipping under the waistband and into his pants.

“Don’t stop,” he said, barely touching himself as Duke’s fingers ran lightly, quickly over the soles of his feet, more and more ticklish with every movement, teasing him until the sensations built up enough that with a few quick movements of his own hand, Nathan came with a muttered, “Fuck.”

And as he did, Duke pressed his fingers tighter against Nathan’s skin, returning to a hard and slow massage, a different sensation that pushed against the waves of Nathan’s orgasm in a way that made him swear again, tensing his leg to keep himself still, before gradually relaxing back into the sofa and Duke’s touch.

Watching him closely, Duke moved first one hand, then the other, to Nathan’s other foot and began the same massage again. Nathan muttered something neither of them could decipher and Audrey asked him, “Too much?”

“No. You’re going to kill me, but god no don’t stop.”

And Duke grinned to see Audrey run a fingernail down Nathan’s earlobe as he adjusted his grip and ran a finger softly along the underside of Nathan’s toes.


End file.
